UCN 4/18/2022
Used Car News Specialty Sales Rev Up Spring Market
By Jeffrey Bellant
IN THIS ISSUE:
• Specialty Sales • Legislation • Retail Markets
Springtime means powersports, RVs and other specialty sales at auction. And even in the face of rampant inflation, the lingering effects of the pandemic and an overseas war, the spring market is already crushing it. “The powersports market has been off the hook after that initial (pandemic) dip,” said Jim Woodruff, chief executive officer of the National Powersports Auctions (NPA). Auctions across the country are seeing similar action. Tommy Rogers is general manager at BSC America’s Clayton Station facility in Maryland where the company holds its specialty sales including powersports, trucking equipment and in-ops. The auction was celebrating its 75th anniversary at press time. That celebration was expected to boost its specialty sale. “Specialty sales for us include boats, Jet Skis, motorcycles, travel trailers, RVs, etc.” he said. The auction also includes trucking equipment items, like the typical yellow construction equipment. On the powersports side, Rogers said manufacturers have seen record orders and are simply struggling to keep up with the supply
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chain disruptions and labor issues. totaling three live sales a week. “I think they’re having the same “That means the cycle times – the issues that everyone else is having,” turn times we have for our clients – Rogers said. is pretty darn quick.” Woodruff’s NPA is a huge auction Over the last 10 years, NPA’s volchannel for the powersports indus- umes have swung a lot because try, so it sees a lot of different units of different factors and – like the through its sales. wholesale auto business – the “Our definition of powersports pandemic has depleted inventory, would include motorcycles, ATVs, Woodruff said. side-by-sides, personal watercraft With that, NPA runs 80,000 to and we do some marine and RVs, as 100,00 units per year. well,” he said. “We liquidate for all The industry was peaking prethe major banks and all the OEMs pandemic and repos had been deand the majority of the dealers.” clining because of a strong economy Mid- to late-spring is the highest before COVID-19 and, since then, volume sales for NPA, while mid- free money and deferrals. to-late fall is its lowest volume peVolumes have continued to grow riod, Woodruff said. on a year-over-year basis, but more “Interestingly, the price seasonal- slowly. The reasons are similar to ity is even more pronounced than the auto industry, from shrinking in the auto industry because with repossessions to dealers holding powersports you’re not riding all on to inventory and supply chain year round in some parts of the shortages for new. country, unlike autos,” he said. “It’s been a struggle,” Woodruff Woodruff said the pandemic has said. changed what’s happening in the RVs also expect to have a strong NPA sales. The 30-year-old compa- season. ny started in the repossession side, DAA Northwest in Spokane, liquidating items for banks. Wash., has a strong reputation for “Over time we added several dif- its RV sales. ferent business segments, includ“We have 12 RV sales a year,” said ing the dealer business and factory Collin McConkey, general manager. sales,” he said. “It’s dealer-only, un- “We’ll do one the first week of the less the state requires an open sale.” month.” TheUCN NPA has nine locations, some DAA6:46 Northwest’s parent company, XLAA April Front Cover.pdf 1 4/11/22 AM of which do two live sales a month, Continued on page 3